The Alabama Crimson Tide have continued to make the state of Georgia a recruiting priority and one of the Tide's top Peach State targets this year has been Moultrie (GA) offensive tackle Xzavier Ward. With over a dozen offers from top programs, Ward has wowed college coaches with his frame and strength and this weekend the three-star tackle was in Tuscaloosa for yet another unofficial visit.

"This visit was all about my mom and grandmother seeing the Alabama campus," Ward said. "I have visited a few times before, but since Alabama is really a school I am thinking about a lot, I wanted them to get to see everything first-hand themselves. I think the visit went really well. They liked it, and that is all that mattered on this trip. They kept us busy the whole time we were there. We got a tour of the dorms and athletic facilities which are top-notch, but I think the thing that surprised my mom and grandmother was how prepared they were to talk about academics. They had us talk to several advisors and showed us the academic buildings like the libraries and computer labs."

After touring the campus, Ward and his family got a chance to sit down for a face to face chat with head coach Nick Saban.

"Coach Saban and I talked for a long time. He let my family know that if I came to Alabama I would be well-prepared to for life after college. It wasn't just going to be all about football. As far as football goes, he wants me to get a look at left tackle. They are losing their starter there this year (James Carpenter) and he said it is really wide open as far as who will get a shot."

While in Tuscaloosa, Ward also got a chance to hang out with some of the current Tide players, including one player who made the 6-foot-7 tackle feel small by comparison.

"I hung out most of the time with D.J. Fluker. He was a real cool dude. I am a big guy, but he was massive. His hands and feet were as big as anyone's I have ever seen. He just told me how things operated at Alabama and sort of the balance you have to put on yourself to handle your football business and academic responsibilities."

Ward is ranked as the nation's No. 37 offensive tackle prospect by Rivals.com.